


Elevator

by annabetncnase



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 20:52:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18373886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annabetncnase/pseuds/annabetncnase
Summary: Percy, Annabeth and Piper go to Olympus a few days after the war ends for a meeting with the gods. Percy-centric.Teen and up because there is some swearing.





	Elevator

**Author's Note:**

> this includes quite a lot of angst but also some percabeth fluff at the end because I couldn't help myself and I'm trash  
> I haven't written in forever so this might be bad but hey enjoy!

Percy expected the asshole receptionist at the Empire State Building to protest when he asked to go to the 600th floor, despite the fact that he’d done just that a trillion times. So, when he walked into the lobby, hand in hand with Annabeth, and the guy greeted her with a respectful “miss Chase” and walked them to the elevator without hesitation, he was pleasantly surprised. Dating the architect of Olympus did have its perks.

His joy was cut short, however, when the elevator doors slid open.

Percy stared at the golden decorated walls, identical to the ones in the elevator he and Annabeth took on the way back from Tartarus - or was the one from Tartarus identical to this one? Regardless of which one was the copycat, every nerve in Percy’s body was telling him to just take the stairs. Annabeth must have been thinking exactly the same, because she felt her grip on his hand tighten just as he did the same. She let out a heavy breath.

\- Let’s just get this over with - she said, and stepped into the elevator.

The doors closed and he felt the shift in gravity as they went up, up, up towards the home of the gods.

Amid the million thoughts rushing through his mind, Percy’s ADHD registered that there was no music playing. He wondered if that was Annabeth’s doing, but he would have to inquire her about it later, because right now he was focused on keeping his breathing steady.  
He turned his face and looked at his girlfriend. Even though her fingers were still firmly woven through his, she showed no other acknowledgement of his presence. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, and she stood very still, her back against the back wall of the elevator.

\- What’d you think they want with us? - Percy asked, in an attempt to distract the both of them.

She turned to face him.

\- Honestly? I don’t know, Percy - she replied, her eyes empty. - Maybe some sort of formal acknowledgement of our... efforts.

Her tone indicated that she was not excited nor grateful for such a heartfelt demonstration. Percy understood. When Chiron informed them that the gods had summoned the Greek demigods to Olympus (namely him, Annabeth and Piper, and if he had been there, Leo), he was ready to bail. The last thing he wanted just a few days from his birthday was a rendez-vous with twelve smug immortal beings he could barely stand to look at. However, Chiron made the point that if he were to ignore the gods’ invitation, the payback would be worse than actually sitting through the whole “meeting”, if you could call it that.

\- I guess a ‘thank you’ would be nice for once - Percy observed.

\- Yeah. But I’m not so sure we’re getting one. At least, not in so many words.

In a regular situation, Percy might have crafted a humorous sarcastic response. Right now, though, he couldn’t help but be _so fucking angry_ at the gods. The humming of the elevator made his mind fuzzy and he couldn’t really be rational about this and gods, why was he even scared to be in a goddamn _elevator_? He didn’t want to be here. And yet, here he was, inching closer to panic with every passing second because he had to in order to listen to the gods of Olympus talk to him for five fucking seconds and send him on his way home, as if that made up for everything. As if that made up for the nightmares, waking up screaming, for not having the energy to get out of bed to have breakfast, for feeling most of the time like nothing is quite right.

The doors slid open with a _ding_.

The couple stepped out into fresh air eagerly.

Percy felt Annabeth squeeze his hand and he looked at her.

\- Percy, I- I know you’re angry at them right now. But we need to get through this so maybe they can leave us alone for a while, right? - her eyes were pleading and worried.

She was right, of course. No matter how much he wanted to tell all the gods to just fuck off for once, he knew he had to be patient and avoid trouble - which, honestly, was what he had been trying to do his entire life. Besides, he didn’t want to make Annabeth worry about him any more than she already was, if her furrowed brows were any indication.

\- Right - he replied with a sigh.

Percy finally looked around, and nearly gasped. He wasn’t sure how much Annabeth had managed to get done in terms of her plans for Olympus while he was gone, but he knew the view before him was nothing short of amazing. Compared to the ruins left after the battle with Chronos, the buildings and temples that surrounded the path to Mount Olympus seemed even more magnificent. He could tell things weren’t exactly finished and done, but he could finally see what Annabeth had meant all those times she rambled on about her ‘vision for a more modern Olympus’.

\- Annabeth, this looks incredible. I can’t believe you did all of this while I was gone.

\- You think so? - she smiled, clearly grateful for the change in topic. - I worked a lot on this to get my mind off of everything. I guess that’s how I got so much done.

And Percy could just see it. Annabeth sketching away into the night under the light of a single lamp so she wouldn’t wake her siblings, and them waking up to see her snoozing on her desk, hand still half-heartedly clutching a pencil. At this image, he felt a rush of affection and pride. Maybe things were terrible all the time, but at least he had an amazing girl next to him to make things a bit better.

\- Annabeth! - a familiar voice called. - Hey, guys.

Percy looked towards a fountain to his left, from which Piper McLean walked towards the couple. She must have gotten there earlier and waited for them to arrive. He assumed she was just as excited as him and Annabeth for their meet up with their extended family. She greeted the two other half bloods with a hug and eyed the big building on top of the hill nervously.

\- Mount Olympus, huh? - Piper said, distractedly.

It occurred to Percy that it was probably her first time visiting the home of the gods. He had done it more than once over his years at Camp Half Blood, but Piper had discovered about this part of her life less than a year ago. Percy remembered how scared he was on his first visit. Annabeth also seemed to notice her nervousness, because she took Piper’s hand and said:

\- Hey. Don’t worry about this. We’ve seen way scarier stuff, right?

\- Yeah, right. Like when you wouldn’t help me clean up my cabin at the Argo II and I lost that green shirt of yours in all the mess. That was scary.

\- And I stand by my initial argument: your mess, your fault. I am still waiting for my shirt, by the way.

\- Good luck with that. That shirt is ugly anyway.

Annabeth laughed and smacked Piper.

Together, the three of them began their slow ascent to the throne room.

* * *

 

\- Greek half-bloods, we have invited you here to acknowledge your efforts - Zeus announced, his deep voice resonating around the room.

Percy, Annabeth and Piper stood before the 12 thrones, half of which were empty. Apparently, not all the gods thought this was important enough to dedicate some of their endless time to. Granted, all of their parents were there: Aphrodite, Athena and Poseidon each watched their children from their thrones. Hera, Mr. D and Artemis were also there. Apollo wasn’t, which Percy thought was strange, because he was usually one of the gods who interacted the most with demigods.

\- We applaud you - Zeus continued - for being successful in your quest to defeat my mother and we appreciate your... - the king of the gods looked at Percy and Annabeth - sacrifices.

Percy looked at Annabeth, who stood a few feet to his right. She looked back at him, and her look of absolute anger and impatience probably matched his.

\- Brother - Poseidon called, - I would like to speak to my son.

Percy’s look shot from the ground to his father, who looked at him with unreadable eyes.

\- Very well - Zeus conceded, and looked at the two other goddesses. - You all may speak to your children as you wish.

Poseidon’s body dissolved into a stream of water that traveled from his throne and stopped in front of Percy, then solidifying back into the god’s human form, this time not much taller than his son. He eyed Percy for a couple of seconds, as if he expected him to start the conversation. Percy didn’t know how to do that in a way that wouldn’t infuriate everyone present, so he kept his mouth shut.

\- Perseus - Poseidon finally started - you have grown so much while you were gone.

Percy didn’t reply.

\- I lament all that fate cast upon you. I wish things had been different.

\- Then why weren’t they, dad? - Percy answered finally. - Why weren’t they different? You’re all-powerful, all of you! Why couldn’t you do something? Why did you let things get that far? Why- why did you let all that happen to me?  
Percy expected his father to be angry, but he just looked sad.

\- But you do know, Percy. Your destiny had been cursed from the moment you were conceived. And you know I do not have the power to tamper with the Fates’ choices.

It was true. Percy knew that, for no fault of his own, his life was supposed to be marked by tragedy and suffering. Somehow, though, that didn’t make it any better. It hit him how unfair all of this was. He had to suffer, and he had to make the people around him suffer. Was it his fate to go to Tartarus all along? Did he just drag Annabeth with him? Would he die a tragic death and leave his mother childless? Would he disappoint his friends, all of camp, because their hero could never really succeed? Percy sort of wished he was never born in the first place.

\- Perseus, I can tell you are angry with me - Poseidon said. - I understand, but you must not let your anger rule you. Often times, the damage the sea does cannot be repaired.

_The damage the sea does cannot be repaired_. Percy forced himself to take a deep breath. He remembered Tartarus, the way Annabeth looked at him while he tortured Akhlys. He never wanted to feel that way again. He looked at his father.

\- I’ll do my best. I just... wish we could be left alone for now.

\- I want that too, son. Though I cannot promise anything, I do feel that calmer times are coming.

\- I hope you’re right.

\- For all of our sakes, so do I.

Percy managed a smile. His father was the least of his problems in all of this mess. He eyed Hera all the way across the room. She looked at Annabeth and Athena curiously.

\- Very well - Zeus cut the silence. - You may all return to your thrones. To the half-bloods, we appreciate your service to Olympus, and we hope the Fates have reserved a kind destiny for you.

And just like that, the meeting was over.

* * *

 

 

On the drive back to Percy’s apartment, he and Annabeth were silent. Percy assumed their conversations with their respective godly parents, added to the elevator ride back, had robbed them both of any will to make conversation.

When they got home, Percy found a plate of blue cookies on the kitchen counter next to a note from his mom: “Paul’s car broke down and I had to go pick him up at school. I’ll be back by 6. Love, mom”

\- Want a cookie? - Percy offered, and Annabeth shook her head.

\- I think I’m going to take a shower. I also want to get started on the summer reading for Goode, I’m already way behind.

Ah, there it is, Percy thought. Typical Annabeth Chase tactic for avoiding your problems. He knew that after she was done reading, she would probably come up with something else to do, and then something else, and then something else, until she couldn’t possibly stay awake anymore.

Before she could get away from him, he grabbed her hand.

\- Hey. Are you okay? – Percy asked.

Annabeth sighed.

\- Yeah. Yes. I think I am - she said, and Percy thought she really meant it. - Are you?

\- I’m hanging in there. The elevator ride was no fun though.

\- Tell me about it - she paused, and her expression became more serious. - How was your talk with your dad?

\- It was fine. He said he was sorry for everything that happened, but he couldn’t have done anything. You know, the usual - Percy didn’t want to talk about the warning his father had given him. _The damage the sea does cannot be repaired_. - Why? Did your mom...

\- No, she was fine too. She said pretty much the same thing. And she congratulated me on my work on Olympus.

Percy could tell Annabeth was trying to be cool about it, but her mother’s praise had made her a lot happier than she let show.

He was happy for her. And he felt better now too, being home with his awesome girlfriend, with a plate full of his mom’s cookies just a hand’s reach away. Maybe things weren’t so terrible all the time, after all.

He decided to just let her go take her shower and have her alone time. Annabeth needed it every once in a while and he was glad to let her have if it meant she would be happier.

\- That’s great - he smiled. - Go have your shower, then. But don’t complain if all the cookies are gone when you come back.

\- Wow. I’m dating a gentleman.

Percy puller her in and kissed her lightly.

\- I love you.

\- I love you too, Seaweed Brain. And, by the way, I think you should shower too.


End file.
